Kord Wissmann, PhD, PE, D.GE . | Geopier Foundation Company
Lawrence, KS | Nov 2017
Our Geo-Journey:Where do we go from here?
University of Kansas
This Lecture might be a bit…..different
WHY are we all Geo-Engineers???
Start with the WHY
Each of our Geo-Journeys start with a first date at the “U”
My first date (30 years back) left me feeling…
When you graduate you will have choices…
(My love was called…”Harding Lawson (Associates)”)
But whether we pick Academe or Industry, we all commence our honeymoons
After a few years, most of us yearn for others…
After 3-4 years in the field, I felt like I needed some marriage counseling
I got my “romance” back after switching jobs….most of us do this
We then retake our vows……… with another lover.
(for me, her name was Shannon / Wilson )
[Our relationship lasted 4 years]
The Strained Relationship
With time, the second marriage strained again….because of the gap in expectations:
The Promise:
Exciting engineering………. solve hard problems.
Do a great job………work on neat projects.
The Reality:
Timesheets / billability………small budgets.
“Bid” to win …… we can’t quite do what we’d like to do.
And we face some tough questions when we write our proposals…
But it wasn’t always this way….
Our profession at it’s start?
Early History
Our ancestors built some great things – how?
Pre-historic “observational method” – a mixture of experimentation, art, and geometric rules.
Early History
The ancients at “ground improvement”
Early History Early History Egyptians > 2000 years ago:
Over-excavation below pyramids.
Babylonians > 1500 years ago:
Earth reinforcement with reeds.
Chinese > 1500 years ago:
Tamping with stones / earth reinforcement.
The beginnings of pilings for stabilization
Early History
Rialto Bridge (Venice, 1500s). Abutment piles.
Bridge of Beaugency(1200s) – scour protection.
(Ref: www.tu-dresden.de)
Reconstruction of Roman piling hammer during empire’s expansion across the Rhine
We practiced in the Middle Ages
Early History
Soil explorations…..“boot heel” method?
Unknown 5m thick soft clay layer
(Ref: www.tu-dresden.de)
The Great Cathedrals
Settlement at St.Paul’s Cathedral &
Salisbury Cathedral
Collapse at Malmesbury Abbey
Consolidation
Venice, Italy
Mexico City
Shear strength
Embankment Failure led to train wreck, Netherlands, 1918
(Ref: www.tu-dresden.de)
Our “modern” engineering roots were French
• Coulomb applied mathematics to define shear strength.
• Determined sliding surfaces in slopes and walls.
1700s
(Ref: www.tu-dresden.de)
And more French
1800s
Wm. J.M. Rankine: Passive & active earth pressures
Henry D’arcy: Permeability
(Ref: www.tu-dresden.de)
And more French
1800s
Boussinesq: Elasticity theory
John & Washington Roebling conceived of, designed, and constructed the Brooklyn Bridge, 1870 - 1883
1800’s: Iron & steel brought dreamlike structures
1880’s: Typical (heavy) masonry construction – Hotel Vendome (Boston)
Ref: J. David Rogers, Ph.D., P.E., P.G.Missouri University of Science & TechnologyJanuary 14, 2009
1885: Home Insurance Building (Chicago) using steel support – 25% of the weight of masonry
1930: Empire State Building
And tall buildings > 20 stories
Los Angeles Aqueduct: 1908-1913
1900’s: Population growth needed water supply
Hoover Dam 1931 - 1935
Bringing the Great Dams of the West
Grand Coulee Dam Commenced in 1933
In the 1900’s, the Germans (Austrians) took charge
1900sKarl Terzaghi: Effective stress and consolidation
Arthur Casagrande: Plasticity
Kurt Atterberg: Self-named “limits”
Soil exploration methods advanced
1902: Rotary wash borings gave way to “Dry samples” taken when a change in soil layer felt by driller
Ref: J. David Rogers, Ph.D., P.E., P.G.Missouri University of Science & TechnologyJanuary 14, 2009
Harvard University, Cambridge MA, June 22-26, 1936
1936: 1st international conf. on Soil Mechanics
Early Geo-engineering Firms
Firm Founding Metro Location Year Founded
Mueser Rutledge New York, NY 1910
Dames & Moore Los Angeles, CA 1938
Tibbets-Abbett-McCarthy-Stratton New York, NY 1942
Spencer J. Buchanan & Associates Bryan, TX 1946
Law Engineering Atlanta, GA 1946
Soil Testing Services Chicago, IL 1948
Woodward-Clyde Oakland, CA 1950
Leroy Crandall Los Angeles, CA 1954
Shannon & Wilson Seattle, WA 1954
Greer & McClelland Houston, TX 1955
D’Appolonia Pittsburgh, PA 1956
Jacobs Associates San Francisco, CA 1956
Haley & Aldrich Boston, MA 1957
Harding Associates San Francisco, CA 1959
Ardaman & Associates Orlando, FL 1959
Golder Associates Toronto, Canada 1960
Kleinfelder San Francisco, CA 1961
Soil & Material Engrs Detroit, MI 1964
Goldberg Zoino Boston, MA 1964
GEI Consultants Boston, MA 1970
Langan New York, NY 1970
Earth Tech Los Angeles, CA 1970
25 (after Bonaparte, 2012, used with permission)
1990’s
(Ref: Geotechnical Business Association, GBA)
By the 1990’s, we offered many
services.
We found new challenges and skills
that helped us refresh our love.
But things had already started to
change in the 1980’s…
Prominent Early Geoengineering Firms (up to 1970)
27 Acquired Diversified
Firm Founding Metro Location Year Founded
Mueser Rutledge New York, NY 1910
Dames & Moore Los Angeles, CA 1938
Tibbets-Abbett-McCarthy-Stratton (TAMS) New York, NY 1942
Spencer J. Buchanan & Associates Bryan, TX 1946
Law Engineering Atlanta, GA 1946
Soil Testing Services Chicago, IL 1948
Woodward-Clyde Oakland, CA 1950
Leroy Crandall Los Angeles, CA 1954
Shannon & Wilson Seattle, WA 1954
Greer & McClelland Houston, TX 1955
D’Appolonia Pittsburgh, PA 1956
Jacobs Associates San Francisco, CA 1956
Haley & Aldrich Boston, MA 1957
Harding Associates San Francisco, CA 1959
Ardaman & Associates Orlando, FL 1959
Golder Associates Toronto, Canada 1960
Kleinfelder San Francisco, CA 1961
Soil & Material Engrs Detroit, MI 1964
Goldberg Zoino Boston, MA 1964
GEI Consultants Boston, MA 1970
Langan New York, NY 1970
Earth Tech Los Angeles, CA 1970
Most Have Changed Since Their Founding
(after Bonaparte, 2015, used with permission)
In Business, Competition for Good Clients and Projects Is a Now a Fact of Life
How are you going to maintain a competitive advantage, tomorrow and 10 years from now?
(after Bonaparte, 2015, used with permission)
Top business challenges (GBA firms)
Technical challenges = 7%
General business = 15%
Legal / risk / litigation = 19%
Staffing / leadership = 28%
Commoditization = 31%
Why???
How about our WHY?
My personal Geo Journey took a turn when I fell back in love….
Finding my Love Again
• Things are a bit different over here
• Looked back to see things in a different…”light”
• And gained a view into that love that I had been losing…
On the dark side.
Dark Side Secrets
Dark siders wear costumes to hide….their darkness.
Many dress shirt providers – with similar shirts. And different prices
Differentiation is a reaction. The market dictates the market – the providers cannot.
A market that is undifferentiated is called ……..
Dress Shirt Rules of Differentiation
Examples of differentiated VPs
VP Examples:
“We give you a warehouse shopping experience for consistently low
prices”
“We get you there without any frills – for a price without any frills.”
“We give you technology that feels good for the highest price
on the market.”
“We bring your family happiness (at the price of our naming)!”
Geo Value Propositions
Differentiation with innovation?
What types of things could we innovate or invent? Construction tools? Testing tools? Software? Engineering methods?
Do we have the DNA to innovate?
1900’s Ground Improvement
Early forms of aggregate reinforcement commenced in the 1930’s
Vibroflotation developed by J. Keller in Germany in the 1930’s for compacting sand.
Some soils didn’t compact easily – so open cavities backfilled with gravel = stone columns
1940’s and 1950’s
More Ground Improvement:
Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVDs) “wick drains” invented by W. Kjellman at SGI in the 1940’s.
Soil Mixing developed by U.S. firm Intrusion Prepakt in 1950’s with most of subsequent development in Sweden and Japan.
1950’s and 1960’s
Wave Equation applied to pile driving
FEA applied to ….anything!
1970’s
In-situ testing
Nuclear power - seismicity
Soil Nailing
1980’s
Geosynthetics and Geoenvironmental
Geo-innovations have occurred in every decade over the last century
So we are an inventive and innovative profession after all!
Do we have the DNA for It?
Geo Value Propositions
The sad truth, however, is that the consulting model does not reward innovation = RISK. Most of these innovations have come from contractors or Academe….
But without differentiation, our market conditions lead us towards…
How can we get our geo love back??????
Take a look at some new things
Foundations:
Post-grouted piers
Rigid Inclusions
Load Transfer Platforms
GeoConcrete Columns
Ground improvement for organics
Materials: Intelligent Compaction
Liquefaction:
EQ drains
Densification devices
Soil improvement mechanisms
Global trends:
Big Data
Climate change
Privatization
Luckily, we have a whole suite of new challenges before us...
New things …Foundations
Post-grouted drilled shafts
Rigid Inclusions (Grouted Impact Piers)(reguiring LTPs)
Geo-Concrete Columns
PV = nRT
New things… Foundations (GeoConcrete Columns)
New Things – Foundations (Ground Improvement)
Armorpact Piers – Ground Improvement for Organics
New things …Intelligent Compaction
Intelligent compaction
Automated Plate Load Testing
New Things – Liquefaction
New-fangled compaction devices for liquefaction
New understandings of liquefaction mitigation
Earthquake drains
New things…Global Trends
Bio-inspired geo systems
Climate change: Geo-solutions for flooding
Geo data systems
New Things….Privatization
Link to all PPP jobs by country. $$ not listed on majority to make a custom chart.http://infrapppworld.com/pipeline-html/projects-in-usa-united-states-of-america
Now how do you feel?
This is our WHY
Parting thoughts
THE END
I hope I left you in a good spot…
THANK YOU for the honor and privilege of being with you today